How can I obtain copies of my,
or my relative's, U.S. Army personnel records?

Personnel records are maintained for officers who served after
1 July 1917, and enlisted personnel in service after November
1912 and who are no longer in service, by the National Personnel
Records Center. Information concerning the required procedures
and forms is available through their website at www.archives.gov/facilities/mo/st_louis/military_personnel_records.html.
Records for individuals who served prior to those dates are in
the custody of Old Military and Civil Records Branch (NWCTB),
National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC 20408.
The National Archives can be contacted electronically using the
form at www.archives.gov/global_pages/contact_us.html.

Where can I find a history of a
particular Army unit?

The U.S. Army Military History Institute maintains an extensive
collection of unit histories. Bibliographies for such histories
can be accessed online at MHI/AHEC's unit history bibliographies.
Once a history has been identified you can contact your local
library to inquire about interlibrary loan possibilities.
You may also wish to investigate out-of-print bookdealers in your
area if you wish to see about purchasing such items.

How do I find information about
what my relative did in the Army? (Trace their route of march, find
out where they served, etc.)

You should start by identifying the unit with which your relative
served. If you already have that information, then you should
check for unit histories or look
into the official records created by
the unit itself. If you do not know the unit to which they
were assigned, then you should try and obtain a copy of your relative's
personnel records to determine
that information.

Where can I find official unit records?

Operational records of United States Army organizations created
prior to 1940 are in the custody of the Military Reference Branch,
National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC
20408. Requests regarding records created during World War
II and the Korean War should be addressed to the Textual Reference
Branch, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi
Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001. Operational records of
United States Army units that served in Southeast Asia are also
in the custody of the Textual Reference Branch of the National
Archives. You maybe able to access additional information
about these holdings from the National Archives and Records Administration
website at www.archives.gov.

Information relating to operational records created since 1954
by those United States Army organizations that did not serve in
Southeast Asia may be available through the DA Freedom of Information/Privacy
Act Office,7798 Cissna Road, Suite 205, Springfield, VA 22150-3166.
You may be able to access additional information concerning policy
related to these records on the website at http://www.rmda.belvoir.army.mil/rmdaxml/default.asp

U.S. Army photographs and motion pictures created prior to 1988
are in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration,
8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, Maryland 20740-6001. You
maybe able to access additional information about these holdings
from the National Archives and Records Administration website
at www.archives.gov.

Official photographs and videos pertaining to the U.S. Army within
the most recent eight-year period are in the custody of the Defense
Visual Information Center, 1363 Z Street Center, March Air Force
Base, CA 92518-2727.

I understand that my unit received a decoration after
I left it, how can I verify that information?

Where can I find information about medals
or awards given to a family member? How do I get replacement medals
or awards for myself or a family member?

For individuals still in the Army, the Military
Awards Branch, Total Army Personnel Command, is the proponent.
Information concerning procedures to request such information
can be found on the Military Awards Branch website.

The Military Awards Branch, U.S. Army Human Resources Command
has proponency for this program within the Army . Information
related to the certificate can be found at the Military Awards Branch website.

Where can I find information on unit
patches and insignia?

The proponent for all heraldic items, flags, patches, insignia,etc.,
is The Institute of Heraldry, 9325 Gunston Road, Room S-112, Fort
Belvoir, VA 22060-5579. The website for the Institute is
at www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil

I have a relative that was killed during
the war and is buried overseas, where can I find information about
the cemetery and burial site?

The American Battle Monuments Commission is responsible for the
maintenance of permanent American military burial grounds in foreign
countries. You can get additional information from the Commission's
website at www.abmc.gov/

How can I locate a U.S. Army veteran?

The U.S. Army Center of Military History does not maintain such
information, and the release of personnel information is strictly
governed by the Privacy Act. You might find the information
you are seeking by placing an advertisement in a veterans magazine,
which do have special reunion columns. Another possibility
would be to use one of the free "People Finders" search engines
available through the internet.

Where can I find historical information
on the other Armed Services?

The historical offices for the other services and their websites
are as follows: